The subject matter disclosed herein relates to the use of focused energy to aid in the closure of apertures.
Components of gas turbines, such as buckets (buckets), nozzles (vanes), and other hot gas path components, are typically formed of nickel, cobalt or iron-base superalloys with desirable mechanical properties for turbine operating temperatures and conditions. Because the efficiency of a gas turbine is dependent on its operating temperatures, there is a demand for components, and particularly turbine buckets and nozzles, which are capable of withstanding increasingly higher temperatures. As the maximum local metal temperature of a superalloy component approaches the melting temperature of the superalloy, forced air cooling becomes necessary. For this reason, airfoils of gas turbine buckets and nozzles often require complex cooling schemes in which air is forced through internal cooling passages within the airfoil and then discharged through cooling holes at the airfoil surface.
Buckets and nozzles formed by casting processes require cores to define the internal cooling passages. During the casting process, shifting of the cores is prevented by supporting the cores within the mold using quartz rods or similar means. The rods create openings (through-holes) in the casting that must be securely closed or plugged to prevent the loss of cooling air through these holes and ensure proper air flow levels through the intended cooling holes of the casting. Accordingly, improved methods and systems for ensuring the closure of these holes may be desirable.